The invention relates to a deflecting device for a conveyor and, more specifically, to a deflecting device for a conveyor having a continuous-running conveyor chain or equivalent.
It has long been known to guide continuous conveyor chains in elements which are constructed as profiled elements and support and guide the chain. Such elements are usually extruded profiles and a choice of suitable material offers a wide degree of scope to produce purpose-built elements. One requirement which is stipulated is, of course, adequate strength and optimal extrudability. Aluminium and alloys of aluminium, but also other light metals, have been shown to meet stipulated requirements. By combining a profiled design which is acceptable from the strength aspect with a profile which is necessary for the particular chain guidance, it is possible to achieve a profiled design which is ideal for the purpose.
Continuous-chain conveyors also, of course, require deflecting devices and, in particular, deflecting devices which reverse the motional direction of the chain from a first direction to a second, opposite direction.
Such deflecting devices are traditionally made by casting of a plurality of separate elements, which can somehow be joined together and connected to the said profiled elements. The construction elements in the deflecting device are usually also made of aluminium or some other metal having sufficient strength and durability for the purpose.
These deflecting devices are configured to accommodate a deflecting roller and, in certain cases, a combined deflecting and drive roller.
Apart from strength requirements, dimensional tolerance requirements are also, of course, stipulated to allow the chain to be introduced into the deflecting device and turned and reintroduced into the profiled element without disturbance. These requirements have traditionally been met with the use of separately made supporting guides which, in an extra manufacturing stage, have been fixed to walls which cover the chain of the deflecting device on both sides.
Another essential requirement of extruded conveyor elements and deflecting devices is that they should produce minimal friction against the chain. This has traditionally been solved by the application of slide rails made of suitable material to supporting guides in profiled elements and to supporting, separate guides in deflecting devices. Such a material is, for example, polyamide, HD polyethylene or UHW polyethylene.
A number of rigid requirements are therefore placed upon the deflecting device and in order to meet these use has previously been made of a number of separate construction elements, bearing and friction-reducing, and the deflecting device constructed from these. One wish is that a minimal number of assembly operations shall be required at the assembly site. Apart from the fact that assembly is time-consuming and therefore costly, incorrectly performed part-assembly/assembly can result in failure to obtain the intended functioning and working life. In manufacturing terms, each separate part-production entails increased costs.
Stockholding of separate components is a further costly factor.
In the deflecting device, the conveyor chain is turned from one motional direction to the opposite direction and it is very important that the guide should cope with the forces generated without any displacement or change in position of the chain and of bearing/steering elements. In the known devices in which the bearing guide is designed as a separate construction element, incorrect assembly can result in operating faults. Although these may not be noticed directly, the working life of the conveyor might be considerably reduced.
The object of the invention is to provide a conveyor having a continuous conveyor chain in which the abovementioned drawbacks of the known deflecting devices are eliminated.
The deflecting device shall especially be usable in conveyors having continuous conveyor chains, in which the motional direction of the chain is reversed from a first motional direction to an opposite direction and in which the chain parts of the conveyor are also supported and guided at a relatively short distance apart in extruded profiles and by at least one further deflecting device.
The said object of the invention is realized with a deflecting device according to that which is set out in Patent claim 1. In the sub-claims are indicated preferred embodiments of the arrangement according to the invention.